Unbalanced pivoted figure toy



June 5,: 1945. V osms 2,377,811

UNBALANCED PIVO'IED FIGURE TOY Fi led May 18, 1944 IN VEN TOR. A001 F Roe/Ms AfTOP/VE) Patented June 5, 1945 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE g 2,377,811- j v UNBALANCED PIVOTED FIGURE TOY Adolf Robins, White Plains, N. Y., assignor to Tip Top Toy, Company, a copartnership consisting of Karl Tausig, New York, and Adolf Robins, White Plains, N. Y.

Application May 18, 1944, Serial No. 536,071

3 Claims.

The present invention is directed to toys, more particularly to :atoy having movable elements whereby animation of figures mounted on said toy is obtained.

It is among the objects of the present invention to provide a toy consisting essentially of a balanced member having figures on both sides of the pivot whereby upon the movement of the toy,

said figures are caused to move up and down.

Itiis also among the objects of the present invention to provide a toy of the character described which shall be simple in construction, sturdy, and capable of life-like movements.

In the practice of the invention, there is provided a platform or base mounted on wheels, usually having two pairs of wheels on two separate axles. On the platform 'is mounted a support usually intheformof aplank, said support being pivotedin the central portion of the platform. A figure of any desired type, such as a human figure, is placed on the support at each side of the pivot. Preferably, the weight-on one'side 'of thepivot is greater than the weight on the other side, so thatone of the figures tends to rest upon the platform when the toy is not in motion.

ySimple mechanism is provided whereby movementof one-of the sets of wheels causes periodic lifting of the said heavier end of the support. This is accomplished by means of a cam secured to the axle of said wheels, which cam on each rotation of the wheels will contact with a follower to lift the heavier end of the support. In so doing, an impetus is given to the balanced figures such that the lighter end of the support may move downwardly to a point where it touches the platform. In such position the follower is not in contact with the cam. By the action of gravity, the heavier end is returned to its initial position, and on the next rotation of the wheels the action is repeated. The toy may be moved along a surface in any usual manner, such as by a child pushing the same or by drawing the toy by means of a cord or the like.

In the accompanying drawing, constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a Side elevational view of a toy constructed in accordance with the present invention, some parts being shown broken away for clearness; and

Fig. 2 is a front elevational view of the toy taken along the line 2-2 of Fig. l, and showing "particularly the mechanism for causing animation of the balanced figures.

The platform or base I may consist of a recabove cam 9.

tangular piece of wood, cardboard, or any other material, having depending sides 2 fixed to base i. .A pair of axles I3 and 4 pass transversely through openings 5 and 6, respectively in sides 2. Pairs of wheels! and 8 are fixed to the axles 3 and 4 respectively, at the outside of the platform or base I. g

A cam :9 is fixed on axle 4 approximately centrally thereof and below base I. The expanded end l0 thereofis rounded in order to provide a cam surface. A relatively wide slot H extends longitudinally of base 1 over a substantial area It provides a space so that cam 9 may freely move to a point above the surface of base I in the rotation thereof.

' On the top :of base I is a pair of standards [2 and I3 constituting supports for a fixed pivot rod 14 which is held thereby in a horizontal position. A block [5 has a horizontal opening 15' therein, said block being fitted loosely over rod I4. To the top of block I5 is fixed a figure support Iii with approximately the center of said support being secured to the block. The support may be ofany desired type, but usually is a relatively long, thin board.

Figures H and 18, here shown as human figures, are secured to support Hi on opposite sides of pivot rod I4. Figure I! is placed a substantial distance from the end 19 of the support, and

, is secured underneath support It at a point approximately above cam 9. The follower is usually of the shape of an arc of a circle.

In the operation of the device, a child may draw the platform along the ground, causing rotation of the wheels! and 8, with corresponding rotation of the axles. Cam 9 will rotate with axle 4 until end I0 contacts with follower 2| and the force of the contact will transmit a blow to follower 2! of sufiicient magnitude so that it causes a raising of the end 2|] of platform Hi. The height to which the platform is raised is dependent upon the speed of rotation of axle 4; the faster the rotation the higher will be the end point of the movement of figure l8. At its highest point, the follower is out of contact with the cam. Due to the action of gravity, after the energy which caused the raising of end 2D has been dissipated, said end will then return to the initial position as shown in Fig. 1. It may meet cam 9 before it reaches the lowest position, whereupon it will be given a small impetus upward. If the cam 9 is in its lowered position at'the time end 20 reaches the position of Fig. 1, then a relatively large impetus will be given thereto during the next rotation of the axle. Thereby, varied and irregular movements may be imparted to the figures, or regular and uniform movements, depending upon the manner in which the toy is Wheeled on the ground.

The toy of the present invention is quite simple in construction and may be made entirely of wood, cardboard or the like, without the necessity for the use of any metal. Also, it may be assembled by glue or cement and without the use of special holding means for the several parts. Experience has shown that the toy may be made quite sturdy even without the use of nails, screws, dowels, or the like. The toy may be made of a relatively few simple parts which may be readily cut from wood or cardboard in large quantities and the assembly does not require any skilled labor, thereby rendering the toy quite cheap in production.

Although I have described the invention setting forth a single embodiment thereof, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that numerous variations in the details of construction may be made within the scope of the invention. For instance, cams may be provided on both sets of wheels and followers on both ends of the figure support. Thereby, more complex movements of the balanced figures may be obtained. Also, the cam need not be of the simple type shown in the drawing, but there may be several cam surfaces of different character in order to vary the movements of the figures. The shape and arrangement of the parts and the configuration of the several figures may be changed at will to give varied effects. These and other changes may be made in the details of construction without departing from .the spirit of the invention, which is to be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

What I claim is:

l. A toy with animated figures comprising a base, at least one axle journaled therein, wheels secured to said axle, bearings secured on said base, a horizontal pivot rod mounted in said bearings, a support for figures held on said pivot to permit alternate up and down movement of the respective ends of said support, a cam on said axle, one

a convex cam follower secured on the underneath side of said end directly above said axle, the high surface of said cam being adapted to contact said end upon rotation of said Wheels, said follower in its uppermost position being out of contact with said cam in its uppermost position, and figures mounted on said support on opposite sides of said pivot.

2. A toy with animated figures comprising a base, at least one axle journaled therein, wheels secured to said axle, bearings secured on said base, a horizontal pivot rod mounted in said bearings, a support for figures held on said pivot to permit alternate up and down movement of the respective ends of said support, a cam on said axle, one end of said support being directly above said cam, the high surface of said cam being adapted to contact said end upon rotation of said Wheels, said follower in its uppermost position being out of contact with said cam in its uppermost position, and figures mounted on said support on opposite sides of said pivot, the weight at said end of said support being greater than at the other end so that the action of gravity tends to keep said cam and follower in contact.

3. A toy with animated figures comprising a base, at least one axle journaled therein, Wheels secured to said axle, a pair of laterally spaced bearings secured on said base, a horizontal pivot rod mounted in said bearings, a support for figures held on said pivot to permit alternate up and down movement of the respective ends of said support, said support being contained between said bearings, a cam on said axle, one end of said support being directly above said cam, the high surface of said cam being adapted to contact said end upon rotation of said wheels, an opening in said base above said axle, a convex follower on said end with which said cam is adapted to make contact, said :40 follower in its lowest position extending into said end of said support being directly above said cam,

opening, the opening being sufficiently narrow so that said end straddles the same, the extent of said opening being sufficient to allow said cam in its upper position to extend above said base, said follower in its uppermost position being out of contact with said cam in its uppermost position, and figures mounted on said support on opposite sides of said pivot.

. ADOLF' ROBINS. 

